2002–03 AFC Ajax season

AFC Ajax
2002–03 season
Chairman	Michael van Praag
Manager	Ronald Koeman
Stadium	Amsterdam Arena
Eredivisie	2nd
KNVB Cup	Semi-finals
Champions League	Quarter-finals
Johan Cruyff Shield	Winners
Top goalscorer	Rafael van der Vaart (18)
Home colours	Away colours
	← 2001–02 2003–04 →

During the 2002–03 Dutch Football season, AFC Ajax competed in the Eredivisie.

Season summary

Despite being the top scorers in the Eredivisie, Ajax were unable to defend their title and finished second. They also failed to retain the cup, but compensated by reaching the Champions League quarter-finals before being knocked out by eventual winners A.C. Milan.

First-team squad

Squad at end of season^[1]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	ROU	Bogdan Lobonț
2	DF	TUN	Hatem Trabelsi
3	DF	NOR	André Bergdølmo
4	DF	CZE	Tomáš Galásek
5	DF	ROU	Cristian Chivu
7	MF	NED	Andy van der Meyde
8	MF	NED	Richard Witschge
9	FW	SWE	Zlatan Ibrahimović
10	MF	RSA	Steven Pienaar
12	DF	NED	John Heitinga
13	DF	BRA	Maxwell
15	MF	NED	Wesley Sneijder
16	DF	FIN	Petri Pasanen
17	FW	BRA	Wamberto


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
18	DF	USA	John O'Brien
20	MF	FIN	Jari Litmanen
21	GK	AUS	Joey Didulica^[2]
22	MF	GHA	Abubakari Yakubu
23	MF	NED	Rafael van der Vaart
24	DF	BEL	Jelle van Damme
25	MF	CPV	David Mendes da Silva (on loan from Sparta Rotterdam)
26	MF	NED	Nigel de Jong
27	FW	NED	Victor Sikora
28	MF	MAR	Nourdin Boukhari
29	MF	NED	Jamal Akachar
30	MF	NED	Stefano Seedorf
31	GK	NED	Maarten Stekelenburg
32	GK	NED	Henk Timmer (on loan from AZ)

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
6	MF	NED	Aron Winter (retired)
11	FW	EGY	Mido (on loan to Celta Vigo)
14	MF	NED	Jan van Halst
19	FW	GRE	Nikos Machlas (on loan to Sevilla)


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
15	DF	NED	Tim de Cler (to AZ)
25	MF	COL	Daniel Cruz (on loan to Germinal Beerschot)
20	FW	NED	Cedric van der Gun (on loan to Willem II)

Reserve squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	DF	NED	Mitchell Piqué


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player

Transfers

In

Out

Results

UEFA Champions League

First group stage

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification	INT	AJX	LYO	ROS
1	Internazionale	6	3	2	1	12	8	+4	11	Advance to second group stage	—	1–0	1–2	3–0
2	Ajax	6	2	2	2	6	5	+1	8	Advance to second group stage	1–2	—	2–1	1–1
3	Lyon	6	2	2	2	12	9	+3	8	Transfer to UEFA Cup	3–3	0–2	—	5–0
4	Rosenborg	6	0	4	2	4	12	−8	4		2–2	0–0	1–1	—

Source: RSSSF

Second group stage

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification	VAL	AJX	ARS	ROM
1	Valencia	6	2	3	1	5	6	−1	9	Advance to knockout stage	—	1–1	2–1	0–3
2	Ajax	6	1	5	0	6	5	+1	8	Advance to knockout stage	1–1	—	0–0	2–1
3	Arsenal	6	1	4	1	6	5	+1	7		0–0	1–1	—	1–1
4	Roma	6	1	2	3	7	8	−1	5		0–1	1–1	1–3	—

Source: RSSSF

27 November 2002	Valencia	1–1	Ajax	Valencia, Spain
20:45	Angulo 90'	Report	Ibrahimović 89'	Stadium: Estadio Mestalla Attendance: 48,000 Referee: Gilles Veissière (France)

10 December 2002	Ajax	2–1	Roma	Amsterdam, Netherlands
20:45	Ibrahimović 11' Litmanen 66'	Report	Batistuta 89'	Stadium: Amsterdam Arena Attendance: 50,148 Referee: Markus Merk (Germany)

18 February 2003	Arsenal	1–1	Ajax	London, England
20:45	Wiltord 5'	Report	De Jong 17'	Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 35,427 Referee: Lucílio Batista (Portugal)

26 February 2003	Ajax	0–0	Arsenal	Amsterdam, Netherlands
20:45		Report		Stadium: Amsterdam Arena Attendance: 51,500 Referee: Valentin Ivanov (Russia)

11 March 2003	Ajax	1–1	Valencia	Amsterdam, Netherlands
20:45	Pasanen 56'	Report	González 28' (pen.)	Stadium: Amsterdam Arena Referee: Ľuboš Micheľ (Slovakia)

19 March 2003	Roma	1–1	Ajax	Rome, Italy
20:45	Cassano 23'	Report	Van der Meyde 1'	Stadium: Stadio Olimpico Attendance: 62,000 Referee: Herbert Fandel (Germany)